Dr Chase on the Importance of QOL and PRO Measures in Gynecologic Oncology

Dana M. Chase, MD, associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology, Division of Gynecologic Oncology, UCLA Health, discusses the importance of quality of life (QOL) and patient-reported outcome (PRO) measures in gynecologic oncology.

Quality in medicine is a topic that encompasses many domains, including patient centeredness, according to Chase. Patient centeredness revolves around satisfaction and experience, which can be affected by how the patient feels on treatment, Chase says. Another aspect of patient satisfaction is tied to their overall assessment of their physician or care team. Patients are bound to evaluate their physicians, Chase explains, and it is important that those ratings are taken seriously as they may have implications on health policy decisions from insurance companies and even governmental agencies.

Despite this, there may be elements of patient satisfaction that are not always top of mind in routine care, Chase explains. For example, there may be a preconceived notion that a patient would prefer more hopeful messaging during their office visits. However, research has shown that patients appear more satisfied when their oncologist is more direct with them regarding their diagnosis and prognosis, Chase says.

Another element of quality in medicine comes in the form of PROs or surveys that are used to measure a patient’s experience of treatment during their participation in a clinical trial. These outcomes can provide a more in-depth understanding of the adverse effects patients may experience on therapy. Several tools can be used to evaluate PROs and in different ways, Chase says. Given their availability, it has become mandatory to include PRO assessments in clinical trials as exploratory, if not secondary, end points. Notably, research has also shown that PROs are independently associated with survival, suggesting that how poor patients feel at baseline is indicative of how long they are going to survive, Chase concludes.